I’ve been wearing a bra since I was 13 years old. I’m not bragging, being one of those well-endowed females has its ups and downs. At the time, I truly hated having to wear a bra every day. Mainly because most of my friends didn’t need one, and I loathed being the odd one out. 

Now that I’ve had both of my girls, I’m so grateful for my breasts. That might sound like an odd thing to say, but I am glad that they helped me nourish my daughters. I was able to breastfeed my firstborn until she self-weaned at 11 months, and I’m going 5 months strong with my second. I’m sure you know that thanks to all of the glorious changes that come with pregnancy and raising kids, an updated wardrobe is a necessity. Especially if you plan to accommodate nursing and pumping into your daily schedule.

I’ve provided a list of my top 5 favorite bras for nursing/pumping. I hope they work as well for you as they have for me! 

I feel that it’s essential to talk about the sleeping bra first because sleep is so crucial during those first weeks. Since my body was still adjusting to the needs of my little one, there were plenty of times that I would leak in between feeds, so having a bra that would hold nursing pads was essential. The Medela Nursing Sleeping bra helped me keep the girls and nursing pads in place while I got a few hours of much-needed rest.

My favorite nursing pads are Bamboobies Overnight. 

Let’s move onto the everyday nursing bras. I have two favorites here; my OG is the Medela T-shirt bra.

I have several pairs of these; they are soft, comfortable, and easy to use while nursing. My only complaint is that the material is incredibly thin so when your ‘headlights’ are on, everyone can tell especially if you’re wearing a thin shirt. To combat this, I’ll usually wear a pair of nursing pads.

That one annoyance is why I’ve come to enjoy the new everyday nursing bra Target’s brand, Auden, offers. It is also soft and comfy, but the cups are thicker and can effectively hide ‘headlights’ while still being an easy to use nursing bra. Another bonus is that you can use nipple cream without fear of staining your clothes thanks to the thicker material. 

For those mamas who are nursing and pumping, there is an all-in-one bra that allows you to do both! The Kindred Bravely Sublime Hands-Free Pumping and Nursing bra is phenomenal.

It has slits so you can slide in your flanges OR you can drop down the panel entirely and nurse comfortably. It has sold out before, so be sure to grab yours while you can! 

Lastly, there are times where you need a bra that’s wired, lifts, and separates. Since you’ll end up having to give your little one your boob at some point, the bra needs to give you the ability to nurse. The Motherhood Maternity Full Coverage Underwire Maternity and Nursing bra will provide you with the lift you need while still providing easy access for your babe. Please keep in mind that wired nursing bras aren’t recommended for long periods of time due to the possibility of mastitis. 

I hope these suggestions help you through your feeding journey.

If you have a favorite nursing/pumping bra that wasn’t mentioned, please leave a comment below!

Help your fellow mommas out!